Benin’s ex-finance minister sworn in as president

The dilapidated finance minister of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, formally changed into the country’s president on Sunday, taking over from his predecessor — and ex-boss — Patrice Talon.

Wadagni, an economist with a recognition as a technocrat who embodies continuity with Talon’s two mandates, was elected on April 12.

He won 94 p.c of the ballots, without speak beating his sole token opponent, Paul Hounkpe. Hounkpe’s birthday party rapid joined forces with Wadagni’s birthday party in the parliament.

The fundamental opposition birthday party, the Democrats, was not in a feature to take part in the elections thanks to inadequate endorsements and within rifts.

“I might lend a hand Benin with integrity, braveness and dedication,” Wadagni stated at his inauguration. “I might lend a hand with the fixed files that vitality is by no technique a non-public privilege.”

Wadagni takes up the reins of a west African country that has enjoyed a decade of strong economic enhance, but the build a huge wealth gap persists. The country additionally suffers from insecurity in its north attributable to assaults blamed on jihadist groups.

The 49-year-venerable has a seven-year length of time before him, after a constitutional reform final year extended the presidential mandate from a earlier five years.

A president can help a maximum of two terms.

Below Wadagni’s 10-year stint as finance minister, Benin’s public funds were cleaned up and the deficit cut by a third to realize three p.c of GDP.

Wadagni emphasised that, on top of his economic abilities, he would kind out the violence in the north, attributed mainly to Al-Qaeda’s Sahel branch, the Neighborhood for the Make stronger of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

“Benin will not give in to worry nor complacency. The govt.will be firm in opposition to all people that threaten our solidarity and security,” Wadagni stated.

Regarded as one of his tasks will be to verify out to stabilise previously fraught ties with its two junta-ruled neighbours, Niger and Burkina Faso, that are combating Islamist militant groups seeking to develop in the feature.

On Sunday, Niger’s top minister, Ali Lamine Zeine, attended Wadagni’s inauguration to applause, in a signal of detente.

“I imagine that it’s a brand new path that is opening … The perfect is to work in opposition to strengthening family members and procure a vogue that we can work collectively,” Zeine advised journalists.

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